Surface-condenser



(No Model.)

B. S. BENSON.

SURFACE GONDENSER.

No. 328,752. A latea x d Oct. 20, 1885..

...01... O OI.. C.. O O

WITNESSES i A DTVENTOR @cw-QQ Mmm- ATTORNEYS.

UNITED v STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN SCOTT BENSON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SURFACE-CONDENSER.

SPECIFICATION' forming part of Letters Patent N o. 328,752, datedOctober 20, 1885.

Application filed February 17. 1855. Serial No. 156,146. (No model.) i

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN SCOTT BEN- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Surface-Condensers, of which thefollowing is a description.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the condenser-case, with a part of thecells also shown in section. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thrOugh theline a: m of Fig. l.

My invention relates to surface-condensers; and its object is to providemeans for co2- densing steam, to save the Water where the latter isscarce, and render it in a pure condition to supply traction-engines,railroad-locomotives, Src., and especially for supplyingtraction-engines designed to be used on the Western prairies for plowingthe ground; and it consists in the peculiar construction and arrangementof parts of an atmospheric condenser in which steam passes through a setof cells in one'direction, and is condensed by a current of cold airblown forcibly through an alternate or intermediate set of cellsseparated from the steam-cells only by thin met-al partitions, as willbe hereinafter fully described.

In the drawings, A represents the outer casing of the condenser, whichis of square shape, but may be ol' any other desired form. Verticallywithin this case are arranged the steamcells a a a, 8:0., andalternating air-cells b b b, &c., Vwhich are formed by parallel platesof very thin brass placed almost in contact with each other, but spaceda short distance by having pits indented in one side and projecting outhe other, which projections prevent.

one plate from lying dat against the other,

and separate the plates a short distance, to form very flat 'chamberswith very little capacity but an immense Aamount of surface. By thisconstruction I can get a sucient surface-exposure within a limited spaceto practically meet the requirement ot' condensing steam by air. Thecells a a a alternate with but are separate from la b-b, and Aeach cellis soldered up tight. The steam-cells a a a open at the top into asteam-chest,"B, in the top of the outer case, to which exhaust-steam isfed bythe pipe B', and the steam-cells a a at their lower ends have eacha pendent drip-tube, c, that conveys, the condensed water through acover, C, into a subjacent water-receiver, I), from which water is drawnoil' through the pipe D', to be fed through the pump to the engineagain. The drip-tubes c are seated at their lower ends in the water, butnot so deep but what any air may blow out that happens to get in thesteam-cells. Thewater-receiver D has a series of cross-partitions,d,inthesame, which do not quite extend up to the top of the pan, andoverwhich the water can flow when the pan is nearly full, but which preventsthe lk of the water from swashing from end to to end 0f the pan andoverflowing when the engine moves up or down grade or deviates from ahorizontal plane,

Between the horizontal cover C of the waterreceptacle and the lower endsof the cells is left a cold-air space, into which cold air is forcedthrough a pipe, E, from a blower, F. \Vith this air-space the air-cellsb b b communicate directly, the lower ends of said airspaces beingentirely open, while the upper ends of the airspaces communicate,through a series of short horizontal side tubes, e e, on each side, withgathering-tubes G G on thc outside of the case, which carry the hot airto a common outlet, G.

In the operation of luy-condenser it will be seen that the steam and airpass in opposite directions, the cold air enterng'at the end where thecondensed steam escapes, and the warm air leaving at the end where thehot 'steam enters, thus making the condensation of steam gradual anduniform. This is a matter of considerable importance with thisparticular condenser, (made ofthin plates,) inasmuch as it prevents thatsudden condensation and partial vacuum, which would cause the collapseand rupture ofthe cells, and which would not be quickly enough relievedby the vacuumvalve, hereinafter referred to.

In the top ofthe steam-chest lis an outwardlyopening safety-valve, f,set lso-open ata pressure which is lighter than that sulicient torupture the thin cells, and in said steam-chest is also auinwardly-*opening vacuum-valve, g,

that prevents the collapse of the steam-cells whenthey-become cold fromdisuse, or from a. partial vacuum while working.

IOO

In some forms of my invention I may use pipes for steam-cells and blowcold air around them; but I prefer the flat cells, on account of theirgreater surface and less weight. Instead of a blower for forcing the airthrough a condenser, the draft of the smoke-stack may be utilized forthis purpose.

I may also arrange the steam and air cells horizontally instead ofvertically.

Having tlms described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. Theblower, cold-air chamber, air-cells, warm-air pipes, and theirconnections, in combination with stemmi-chamber, steam cells orcondensers, and hot-water reservoir, and d ri ppipes, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination of steam-cells aand aircells b, the case A, havingsteam-chest at the top communicating with the steam-cells, and

hot-air pipes communicating with the air- 2o t pipes b, andgathering-pipes on the outside of the case, and a hot-water receptaclein the bottom of the case connected by pipes with the steam-cells, andan air-space between the water-receptacle and the air-cells. eonnnlmi-25 eating with the lower ends ofthe latter, sub stantially as shown unddescribed. 1

3. The combination, with the steanx-lls of an air-condenser constructedand operating substantiall y as shown, of a vacuum and safety 3o

